Interested In Becoming A Criminal Detective? Get An Online Criminal Justice Degree

If crime, criminals, or forensics are what tickle your interest, a Criminal Justice Degree may just be the right education for you. You can choose the area you wish to concentrate on, ranging from the penal system to forensic science. For many, an Online Degree in Criminal Justice is a feasible option, being offered at multiple levels in various disciplines. Here’s a roundup of how the degree stacks up. Areas …

If crime, criminals, or forensics are what tickle your interest, a Criminal Justice Degree may just be the right education for you. You can choose the area you wish to concentrate on, ranging from the penal system to forensic science.

For many, an Online Degree in Criminal Justice is a feasible option, being offered at multiple levels in various disciplines. Here’s a roundup of how the degree stacks up.

Areas of Specialization

There are various areas one can choose to concentrate on with an Online Criminal Justice Degree. Some of the options include:

Criminal Justice Administration (oversee operations and make policy decisions at law enforcement offices)

Law Enforcement

Private Investigation (criminal detectives)

Court Reporting

Levels of Criminal Justice Degrees and Completion Times

At the most basic level are graduate certificates, which take up to a year for completion, followed by associate degrees, which go on for as long as two years.

An Online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice will take four years, while a master’s degree will take anywhere between a year or two. One even has the option of going for further studies through a doctoral degree, especially if they have a research focus. These may go for as long as five years or a minimum of three years.

What Does A Typical Curriculum For A Criminal Justice Degree Look Like

For a bachelor’s degree, one will be studying various general subjects, such as English, humanities and mathematics, besides more specific subjects such as criminology, criminal law, courts and criminal justice, victimology, etc.

With an Online Master’s Degree, on the other hand, you can either choose to study criminal justice in general, or specialize in a particular area. Some master’s level courses include policing, corrections (related to correctional institutions), criminal justice research methods, criminal justice ethics, terrorism and homeland security, forensic pathology, juvenile justice system and the psychology of the criminal mind.

If you’re opting for an Online Doctorate in Criminal Justice, you’ll be involved in an original, detailed research project related to criminal justice, and you’ll have to complete a thesis on your findings. The research ought to generate new insights on issues related to criminal justice.

Professions You Can Pursue

Armed with a Criminal Justice Degree, you can go to work as a police officer or a corrections officer. Further education may be required to enter into a more administrative role. You can even become a paralegal, county sheriff, court reporter, warden or even a private detective. With a doctoral degree, you can go on to become a teacher of criminal justice at a post-secondary level, or go for high-level criminal justice positions at a federal level.

Tuition Costs

Though the cost of this degree will vary depending on your school of choice, the average fee for an Online Undergraduate Program in Criminal Justice hovers around $10,000 to $20,000 per year, and may go up to over $40,000 per year. For master’s and doctorate degrees, the fee tag ranges between $5,000 and $30,000 per year.

So don’t just sit and wait. Make a move and get enrolled for an Online Degree in Criminal Justice today!